The 1999 forum examined the effectiveness of traditional treatment approaches in responding to the needs of African American clients and questioned if the intersection of culture, race, gender and ethnicity should be addressed in responding to their clients. The presenters explored the elements that must be considered in responding to the issues of African American social context and the impact of African Americans’ help seeking behaviors on service delivery. Forum sessions provided definitions of culturally specific interventions; provided an overview of different types of culturally specific interventions; highlighted the principles that govern using such methods; addressed areas of concern when developing and using the interventions; and discussed the concerns and consequences of introducing such a model in mainstream, multicultural, and/or Afro-centric environments.
